We get the green flag on the Michael Andretti street sign in Allentown

Thanks to a number of Warrior spies who took the time to provide information, I think I've solved most of the mystery over the street-name sign spotted by city resident Joe Holler on Hamilton Street at the Ninth Street intersection in early December. Joe provided a photo of the placard: "Michael Andretti Boulevard."

A site visit a few weeks ago revealed that the sign was gone. Someone must have removed it in the roughly five-week period between Dec. 5, when Joe noticed it while attending the city's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and Jan. 14, when when it was gone.

Thanks to officials representing the Andretti family's businesses, I discovered that the two-block stretch of Hamilton between Seventh and Ninth streets was designated Michael Andretti Boulevard for one week in August 2003 as part of a dual promotion: That of an upcoming race at Nazareth Speedway, and of a fund-raiser for the Lehigh Trust Building in the city.

Then-Mayor Roy Afflerbach unveiled the street sign at a news conference, and a few days later Andretti attended one of the fund-raising events to help boost donations. Presumably the plan was to remove the sign the following week, but that didn't happen for more than a decade. As Wayne Schiff of Germansville noted recently, "That was the longest week ever, but then, the Afflerbach administration never was known for efficiency ... "

Though someone from Mario Andretti's office originally sent me a copy of former Morning Call sportswriter Paul Reinhard's 2003 story on the temporary street-naming, Patty Reid of the office later wrote that Andretti himself did not recall the sign. No small wonder, given it was part of a promotional event by his son in 2003.

Ryann Rigsby of Michael Andretti's office in (where else?) Indianapolis also said the folks there had no new information on the street-name sign.

Thanks to Joe for what turned out to be a pleasant trip down Memory Lane, and to Wayne, who remembered seeing the mystery sign still posted as late as last summer.

If anyone out there knows exactly when it was removed, and where it is now, let me know.

Below is the story by Reinhard, who went on to become the Call's sports editor before retiring, and who's still very active, covering gymnastics and other sports as a freelance reporter.

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The Morning Call ArchivesCopyright 2003, The Morning Call

Publication Date: August 19, 2003Day: TuesdayPage: C1Section: SPORTS

Photo by Cesar Laure of The Morning Call (below story)

Byline: By Paul Reinhard Of The Morning Call

Headline: Michael Andretti kicks off busy week with street being named in his honor

Sub-head: A stretch of Hamilton St. is named for the ex-driver, who now owns an IRL team.

When Michael Andretti and Allentown Mayor Roy Afflerbach uncovered a sign Monday morning designating a two-block stretch of Hamilton Street as Michael Andretti Boulevard for a week, Andretti made a quip about being immune to speeding tickets.

Afflerbach indicated that the retired-driver-turned-Indy-Racing- League-car-owner might not want to try it.

"I guess I've made it now," Andretti said as he glanced up at the sign on a post at the northeast corner of Ninth and Hamilton. Michael Andretti Boulevard will extend to Seventh Street.

Andretti and Nazareth Speedway officials were in Allentown to kick off the week leading up to the IRL's Firestone Indy 225, which will be run at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The Queen City will host a benefit gala toasting Andretti from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday. in the Lehigh Trust Building. A City Hall aide said more than 300 tickets have been sold for the event, which will raise money for the Michael Andretti Foundation, which will in turn make a donation to Allentown's Fund to Benefit Children and Youth.

On Thursday, race fans of all ages will be able to take part in the Indy Racing League Fan Experience, which will be the highlight of a street festival from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the Michael Andretti Boulevard stretch.

Activities, for which there will be no charge, include a race car simulator and the Indy Racing Pit Stop Challenge, where people will be able to change a tire on an Indy car.

Kids will be able to peddle an Indy-style car around a small track, design a helmet, play an IRL video game, attend an Emerson Drive concert from 8-10 p.m., get autographs of IRL drivers and purchase a hot dog or a soft drink for 25 cents.

Another highlight to the day will be the presentation of an Allentown Lifetime Achievement Award to three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford. Rutherford now drives the pace car at IRL races.

It will be a busy week for Andretti, who is serving as grand marshal for the event. He also has a charity breakfast set for Friday at the race track and will take part in a block party later in the day in Nazareth.

"I'm trying to help this thing in any way I can," Andretti said. "It's great to see the communities getting more involved with the race. And now that they finally have a decent date, I hope more people will come out for the race, too."

The weekend will be the Lehigh Valley's first opportunity to see Andretti Green Racing in action. Andretti, along with partners Kevin Savoree and Kim Green, purchased a CART team from Barry Green and moved it over to the IRL.

So far, the season has been a success in that AGR driver Tony Kanaan is leading the IRL point standings coming into the Firestone Indy 225. He, Dan Wheldon and Bryan Herta make up the AGR team that is Honda's top team in the series.

"I really like the IRL," Andretti said. "I like the people. I think they're all thinking the right way about where they want to go in the future. I think it has a future. Things are starting to come together. It's not going to happen overnight, there's a 3-5-year plan, but the potential is there to grow this thing and make it a strong event everywhere."

Andretti's team started the season with Andretti, Kanaan and Dario Franchitti as its drivers. When Andretti decided to give up driving after the Indianapolis 500, Wheldon was put into his seat. When Franchitti was injured in a motorcycle accident, Andretti hired Bryan Herta to fill in.

Kanaan and Herta have won races, and Andretti admitted that Herta's performance has put him "in a tough situation there."

"I love Bryan," Andretti said. "He has done such an awesome job. [Sunday at Kentucky], he finished third with what was probably a 10th-place car. The team did a good job with pit stops, too, but he drove the wheels off it. Bryan has done a tremendous job. We want Dario back. I think we're going to get Dario back. We want to keep Bryan in the scenario some way if we can."

Current Comments

Enjoyed your article, Dan! For the record, my administration didn't forget to take down the sign. We had been asked by several city residents and non-residents to leave it in place as a tribute to one of the Lehigh Valley's best known contemporary families. Because we were promoting both Allentown and the Lehigh Valley as a destination concept, I thought it was a good idea. I'm sorry to learn that someone took the sign, although I am surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Posted By: Roy Afflerbach | Feb 4, 2014 10:29:08 AM

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about this blog

Morning Call Reporter and Columnist Dan Hartzell is The Road Warrior, defending the drivers of the Lehigh Valley and the roads on which they drive. E-mail questions about transportation in the Lehigh Valley and beyond to hartzell@mcall.com.